Help for the Pain

Being involved in an accident with a large truck can be traumatic. Your likelihood of being seriously injured is high due to the huge weight and size difference between an average car and an 18-wheeler truck.

If you have been injured in a trucking accident, you may have already decided to pursue compensation for your injury-related expenses by contacting a personal injury attorney.

Nevertheless, not all personal injury lawyers are equipped to handle trucking accident cases. These cases require the special expertise and knowledge of a trucking accident lawyer. Here are a few reasons why:

Assigning responsibility to a negligent party is different in a trucking accident case.

In an ordinary car accident, only the responsible car owner and his insurer are typically involved. The accident responsibility usually rests with the person who is deemed liable by the police officer that arrives at the scene of the accident.

For a trucking accident, the liability listed on the police report still plays a part in the case. However, this assignment of responsibility does not take into account other parties that may also have played a role in the accident. For instance, the company for which a trucker works may have violated trucking regulations and assigned the truck driver more hours than are legally permitted. In addition, the company that manufactured the 18-wheeler or its automotive parts may not have taken necessary measures to ensure that the truck and its parts would operate properly under certain road or driving conditions.

In some cases, there may be multiple negligent parties for the same trucking accident. Proper assignment of liability can help ensure that you receive maximum compensation.

The trucking industry is governed by separate laws and regulations that don't apply to other vehicles.

A trucking accident lawyer is aware of the laws of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Trucking companies are required to limit the number of hours driven by a truck driver in a single stretch, as well as the number of hours that a driver can drive within a 7-day period. In addition, the weight of the truckload has to be within specified limits for the type of product being transported.

If you have been injured in a trucking accident, contact a trucking accident attorney in your area to schedule a consultation. Most initial consultations are provided free of charge, and many trucking accident lawyers are willing to work for a contingency fee. Thus, no out-of-pocket expenses are usually required for you to get legal representation.